Spore-based probiotics may be some of the best probiotics available, according Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, Ph.D. and founder of the Sophia Health Institute. This lesser-known supplement, called sporebiotics for short, supports a healthy gut and immune system function, and can help the body fight off environmental stressors that cause chronic health issues.

Sporebiotics are a group of gut microbes. They join 2,500+ other species of bacteria in the gut that work symbiotically with the human body and aid in healthy human function. What makes sporebiotics unique is their ability to benefit the immune system better than other probiotics.

Because of the sporebiotics’ unique abilities, scientists believe they may benefit people with health problems such as autism, neurological disorders, and immune-related diseases. In addition, spore-based probiotics may help fortify the body against environmental aggressors such as electromagnetic fields (EMFs), pesticides, and airborne pollutants.

Antibiotic-resistant Spore-based Probiotics

A microbiologist from Germany, Gunther Enderlein created spore-based probiotics in 1935. Essentially, these microorganisms consist of off-shoots of the microbe called bacillus. Scientists believe the subspecies bacillus subtilis is one of the most important and beneficial sporebiotics.

Unlike other probiotics, sporebiotics do not contain any live bacteria strains. They consist of the cell wall of bacillus spores. Therefore, they are not affected by antibiotics, which kill off both good and bad bacteria living in the body. Over-exposure to antibiotics found in foods, such as meats and dairy, has affected the gut microbiome of the typical Westerner. This is believed to be one of the main reasons why so many suffer from chronic ill-health.

What makes them unique is that sporebiotics are capable of surviving the passage through the stomach. On the other hand, only a small percentage of regular probiotics survives the trip the small intestines, even if the supplement is eaten with a meal. What’s relevant is that it is only in the small intestines that probiotics can germinate and become active.

Best Probiotic for Protecting Against Environmental Assailants

One of the claims made by Dr. Klinghardt, who is internationally recognized for his successful treatment of chronic pain and illness, is that sporebiotics are one of the most effective ways to boost immune tolerance. He states:

“Many of us have lost our tolerance towards the factors that are in our environment. Many patients have lost the tolerance toward food that would serve them in many ways, but they cannot tolerate it. The truth is that the healthier a person is today, the more immune tolerant that person is.

That means, they’re the ones that are not affected greatly by the electromagnetic environment. They’re the people that avoid the chemicals that are in the air and in the food — the aluminum in the air, the glyphosate in the food.

The question was always, ‘Is immune tolerance a consequence of good health?’ Or ‘Is immune tolerance actually the factor that makes people healthy?’ I would postulate the latter.”

According to Klinghardt, bacillus spores “dramatically increase our immune tolerance.” This increased immune tolerance has been linked to resolving food intolerances in autistic children. Klinghardt believes that bacillus spores help repair damage in the intestinal barrier. They assist in the gut’s communication with the immune system so you are absorbing the right nutrients and eliminating contaminants present in food. As a result, sporebiotics play a significant role in healing leaky gut.

Sporebiotics Linked to Longevity

In early 2017, a group of scientists had made the claim that a possible link between bacillus subtilis and longevity exists. Facundo Rodriguez Ayala et al. from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario in Argentina studied the mechanism by which a probiotic bacterium affects host longevity.

First, the scientists confirmed that biofilm-proficient bacillus subtilis was able to successfully colonize the host organism. In addition, they found that the sporebiotics expended the host’s lifespan significantly when compared to other bacteria strains. They concluded:

Significantly, the prolongevity effect of bacillus subtilis was primarily due to a downregulation of the insulin-like signaling system that precisely is a key partaker in the healthy longevity of human centenarians.

These scientists believe that it is worth further investigating whether the regular consumption of probiotic bacillus subtilis in human food, such as Japanese natto, might decrease the rate of aging and detect and stamp out disease.

Interview with Dr. Klinghardt

Below is an in-depth discussion between Dr. Joseph Mercola and Dr. Klinghardt on sporebiotics.

As always, a healthy diet and smart lifestyle choices are important to maintaining overall health. Yet, other factors are less under our control. These include EMF exposure and contamination of our food, air and water. Spore-based probiotics may be the best probiotics if they do, in fact, increase our resilience to these significant stressors of our time.

About the Author

Anna Hunt is writer, yoga instructor, mother of three, and lover of healthy food. She’s the founder of Awareness Junkie, an online community paving the way for better health and personal transformation. She’s also the co-editor at Waking Times, where she writes about optimal health and wellness. Anna spent 6 years in Costa Rica as a teacher of Hatha and therapeutic yoga. She now teaches at Asheville Yoga Center and is pursuing her Yoga Therapy certification. During her free time, you’ll find her on the mat or in the kitchen, creating new kid-friendly superfood recipes.